Once, Twice, Three Times a Lady

It seems like everyone’s searching for the perfect Valentine’s gift.  Tired are the roses, the candy hearts (especially those little ones that taste like toothpaste)… why not the gift of a Valentine’s Day you?

What!? Oh, yes, you read it all correctly.  Today I’m going to go through three different Valentine’s Day inspired looks.  If you like them you can even buy the very colors I used in each look from this site.

Now everyone has a different sense of style, so I’ve worked on three classic looks so you can choose the one that fits you.  First we’ll start with a true classic, the look I like to call:

Red Hot Honey

Move over Marilyn, because here you come!  This look was inspired by classic Hollywood Glamour.  For this look we keep the eyes relatively neutral and really pump up those ruby red lips. 

STEP 1

Once you’ve applied your foundation I pulled out the Opal Hollywood Lights and covered the whole eye area with the soft shimmer color.

STEP 2

Then I added Pink Champagne eye shadow in the crease area and onto the outer corner of the eye, blending the two colors together for a softer look.

Remember blending is the key to a fabulous eye shadow application.

STEP 3

Gently tugging at the corner of the line to ensure a smooth application I sketch in a soft line with a dark brown pro eye pencil with a freshly sharpened tip.  This will ensure a tight line and not a smudged look. 

STEP 4

Add a bit of your favorite mascara to pop those lashes.

STEP 5

Now onto those sculpted cheeks!  Using Natural blush I start just below the cheekbone and brush upward from the temple and ear area to contour the face.  I had Sandra smile and then brushed a bit more color on the apples of her cheeks to give her a soft healthy glow. 

STEP 6

To emphasize her cheekbones I added just a smidgen of the Opal Hollywood Lights shimmer right on top of the cheekbone as a highlight.

STEP 7

Last but certainly not the least is that pop of red on those luscious lips.  Using a square lip brush I washed Red Passion lipstick carefully across her lips.  A square brush gives you a nice sharp line.  Red Passion is a fantastic red that flatters any skin tone.  Anyone who says they can’t wear red: You can wear Red Passion.

There you have it, a look fit for the silver screen or for a passionate Valentine’s date.

Maybe bright lips are not your forte, maybe you’re not into that retro look.  You’re definitely a more natural girl… that doesn’t mean we’ll leave you out. Give our next look a try:

Be Mine Baby

This is the second look in our series is inspired by soft, fresh faced natural beauty.   Nothing says pretty and youthful like a soft pink blush.

STEP 1

Once you’ve applied your foundation you’ll want to pull out the flamingo gold Hollywood Lights and cover the whole eye area with the soft shimmer color.

STEP 2

Then I added magenta eye shadow in the crease area and onto the outer corner of the eye, blending the two colors together for a softer look.  If you want less of the darker magenta color, add a bit more of the lighter flamingo gold to soften the look and blend!

STEP 3

Gently tugging at the corner of the line to ensure a smooth application I sketch in a soft line with a violet pro eye pencil with a freshly sharpened tip.  This will ensure a tight line and not a smudged look. 

STEP 4

Add a bit of your favorite mascara to emphases your lashes and frame your eyes.

STEP 5

Now onto those rose-y cheeks!  Using Pink blush, don’t be afraid of the color, it actually goes on much more mild than you’d think.  I had Sandra smile and then brushed a bit of color on the apples of her cheeks to give her a soft healthy glow.  Then with anything left on the brush I dusted across her forehead and down her nose, almost like a bronzer.

STEP 6

To give her a youthful glow, I added just a touch of the flamingo gold Hollywood Lights shimmer right on top of the cheekbone as a highlight.

STEP 7

To finish the look off, I used a flat lip brush to put a wash of pink flower lipstick across Sandra’s lips giving them a sensuous tint.

And now you’re ready for a romantic day or night out, sure to shock your Valentine with your natural beauty.

Maybe neither of the two looks above are your thing.  You’re a girl that likes dark smoke-y dramatic eyes.  Something that’ll make a man’s jaw drop and hit the floor, then you may want to try out the look we like to call:

Goodnight Sweetheart

This look is inspired by the ever popular smoke-y eye definition where the eyes are the center of attention and lips are left very natural.  Always a striking look.

STEP 1

Once you’ve applied your foundation you’ll want to pull out the pink lace Hollywood Lights and cover the whole eye area with the soft shimmer color.

STEP 2

Then I dotted galaxy eye shadow just above the crease and onto the outer corner of the eye, blending the two colors together for a softer look.  If you want less of the darker galaxy color, add a bit more of the lighter pink lace to soften the look and continue to blend

STEP 3

Gently tugging at the corner of the line to ensure a smooth application I sketch in a soft line with a purple pro eye pencil.  I go over the pencil with a little more of the galaxy shadow to soften and smudge the look of the line.

STEP 4

Add a bit of your favorite mascara to enhance your lashes and frame your eyes.

STEP 5

Now onto those contoured cheeks!  Using berry blush, don’t be afraid of the color, it actually goes on much more mild than you’d think. I start just below the cheekbone and brush upward from the temple and ear area to contour the face; then I had Sandra smile and then brushed a bit of color on the apples of her cheeks to give her a soft glow. 

STEP 6

To give her a dramatic flair, I added just a touch of the pink lace Hollywood Lights shimmer right on top of the cheekbone as a highlight.

STEP 7

To finish the look off, I used a flat lip brush to put a wash of champagne lipstick across Sandra’s lips giving them a neutral shine.

If you love any of the looks and want to try them out using the colors, take advantage of the Valentine's Sale available right here on Get Your Beauty. 

Have fun playing with your own looks and make it a sultry Valentine's Day!

Brush-a Brush-a Brush-a… Part I

Makeup Brushes are everywhere, but there are so many different shapes, hair types, and designs... and they're not exactly the least expensive tool to pick up. How do you choose from the masses? Why are they so expensive? What brushes do I really need? Am I using the brush for right purpose? What makes a quality brush? Well then, let's hope I can help clear up some of those questions for you in the next few blogs.

Today we're going to focus on what type of brushes most people really need. A lot of makeup brushes are great, but most people may never use them on themselves. With a girl's standard makeup battalion we'll talk can't live without essentials.

What Brushes Do I Really Need?
This question really depends on what make up you actually wear, but for the purposes of this article we'll say you wear a standard beauty makeup for a night out. If that's the case most people would use a brush to wear: Foundation, Concealer, Blush, Eye Shadow, and Lip Color.

Foundation Brush
There are many different foundation brushes out there. This type of brush is really a personal preference choice. You can apply foundations with a sponge if you prefer. I like to use a foundation brush for more fluid foundations and a sponge for cream foundations.

Concealer Brush
This is a great type of brush to have. You can choose from a number of sizes and materials with concealer brushes. A brush for concealer lets you blend underneath the eyes without pulling at the fragile skin there. The skin beneath your eyes is the thinnest anywhere on your body. If you normally use your fingers you can A) contaminate your makeup with bacteria and B) you may pull too hard at the skin causing fine lines later down the road.

• TIP-- For concealer it is a great idea to get a filbert brush. All filbert means is that the brush has an oval rounded edge rather than a flat square edge. Since we're working on more rounded areas of the face like the orbital lobe (around the eyes) a round shaped brush just makes the job easier.

Another great use for this brush is to gently set your concealer with loose powder to keep it from moving or creasing. Who wants the fine lines we might already have let along any false ones? Plus two uses for the price of one? What's not to love?

Blush Brush
Most people use blush and if you use a powder blush, this is a definite tool you’ll want in your arsenal. There are blush brushes in a number of different sizes and two basic shapes.

The size depends on how exact you want to be with your application. Smaller brushes lend themselves to more precise application, while the larger spreads the product a bit more liberally.

The shape of your blush brush can be a basic round brush or it could be cut to form an angle. Personally I like the angle blush brush when I want to do some contouring and the round blush brush when giving just a soft glow to the cheeks and skin.

Eye Shadow
Oh this is where I could go crazy with brushes! Brushes for eyes are a must in the kit, even if you have only one or two basics. I suggest two brushes to make things easy. That way if you use a dark and a light color you have one brush for each.

Fluff Brushes are great for applying or just sweeping shadow onto the lid and brow bone. This is what I like to call the "light color" brush. There are a number of sizes available and I find that it’s a comfort level as well as the eye area I have to work with: More eye area a bigger brush, less eye area smaller brush, but over all it’s up to the user.

Crease Blender Brushes are fantastic for applying color to the crease area. It’s got a fully rounded tip and lends itself to precision placement, but it’s still soft enough to blend with to get just the right look. This is what I like to call the "dark color" brush.

Lip Color Brush
If you’re a lip gloss girl, then you shouldn’t really have to worry about a lip brush, but if you like lipstick this may be something to definitely look into. Lip brushes tend to come in two shapes the filbert (rounded) and flat (square). Personally, I like the flat brush for applying lip color. The flat edge cuts a really sharp look along the lip line, making it look classically neat and straight.

• Tip – Using a lip brush when initially applying your lipstick will make any lipstick wear longer. You will actually push the product onto the lips staining it better than when used directly from the stick. Touching up from the stick is great for the convenience, but when applying the whole face try out a lip brush.

That really covers the basics of what most people use on themselves. So you don't need six bajillion brushes, unless you're a self-proclaimed brush whore like me. I just love brushes and can never have enough-- probably why I'll continue more brush questions in the next few posts.